Wednesday, May 24, 2023

#IReadsYou Review: PRODIGY: The Icarus Society #3

PRODIGY: THE ICARUS SOCIETY #3 (OF 5)
IMAGE COMICS/Netflix

STORY: Mark Millar
ART: Matteo Buffagni
COLORS: David Curiel
LETTERS: Clem Robins
COVER: Matteo Buffagni with David Curiel
DESIGN: Melina Mikulic
EDITORIAL: Sarah Unwin
VARIANT COVER ARTIST: Matteo Buffagni
28pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (September 2022)

Rated M / Mature

Prodigy: The Icarus Society is a five-issue comic book miniseries produced by writer Mark Millar and artist Matteo Buffagni.  It is a sequel to the 2018-19 six-issue miniseries, Prodigy.  The Prodigy comic books focus on the adventures of the world's smartest man, Edison Crane, who believes that he is the go-to guy when there is a global crisis to solve.  Letterer Clem Robins and colorists Laura Martin and David Curiel complete the sequel's creative team.

Prodigy: The Icarus Society pits Edison against “The Icarus Society,” a secret society of geniuses who are all richer than Edison.  And now, he is caught inside the club's internal rivalries and blackmailed into hunting for the treasures of one of the most legendary locations of all time.

Prodigy: The Icarus Society #3 opens in the Himalayas, 1722, detailing two parties searching for the mythical kingdom of “Shangri-La.”  One of them is led by the pirate, Red Ana de Tourzel.  Three centuries later, Edison Crane is caught between the machinations of Icarus Society rivals.  One is the homicidal Professor Tong, and the other is Felix Koffka, the richest man in the world and the owner of the cars in which John F. Kennedy and James Dean respectively died.

When one outwits the other (or so it seems), Edison is working for man who works at a level no one else can understand.  For Edison, that means a journey into legend.

THE LOWDOWN:  Mark Millar has produced some incredible comic books since he became a Netflix executive.  The Magic Order is one of the twenty-first century's greatest comic books about magic.  Meanwhile, Prodigy has emerged as a spinner of conspiracies, legends, myths, and lore to rival cable network, The History Channel's “Ancient Aliens” television series.

Over the past quarter-century, Millar has been writing some of the most interesting and unique superhero comics:  The Authority, The Ultimates, Ultimate X-Men, Ultimate Fantastic Four, Wanted, Kick-Ass, and Nemesis, to name a few.  I think Prodigy should be added to that list.  While its star does not wear a costume, Edison Crane has the elements of such clever superhero characters as Tony Stark, Bruce Wayne, Karnak (The Inhumans), and Ozymandias (Watchmen), to name a few.  The difference is that Millar sends Edison on better adventures than those other characters have had in years, and Edison is better dressed.

Artist Matteo Buffagni has a drawing style that merges the clean line style, photo-realism, and textured inking.  The result is storytelling that captures the intimacy and violence of the conflicts between characters and the endless possibilities of the adventures before them.  David Curiel's colors convey the shadows and dark moods of Buffagni's compositions, while letterer Clem Robins makes the dialogue pop off the page with menace and mystery.

Mark Millar has stated that he wants to write comic books that readers really enjoy reading, and, in addition to his writing skills, he has a talent for gathering superb creative talent.  Prodigy: The Icarus Society #3 is the result of superb talent working hard for our enjoyment.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of Mark Millar and of his comic book, Prodigy, will want to read Prodigy: The Icarus Society.

A+

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"


https://www.mrmarkmillar.com/
http://www.millarworld.tv/
https://twitter.com/mrmarkmillar
https://www.netflix.com/
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The text is copyright © 2022 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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Tuesday, May 23, 2023

#IReadsYou Review: JENNIFER BLOOD VOL. 2 #3

JENNIFER BLOOD VOLUME 2 #3
DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT

STORY: Fred Van Lente
ART: Vincenzo Federici
COLORS: Dearbhla Kelly
LETTERS: Simon Bowland
EDITOR: Nate Cosby
COVER: Lucio Parrillo
32pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (December 2021)

Rated Teen+

Jennifer Blood created by Garth Ennis and Adriano Batista.

“Bloodlines” Chapter Three: “Play Date”


Jennifer Blood is a a comic book character created by writer Garth Ennis and artist Adriano Batista.  A suburban wife and mother by day, Jennifer Blood is a ruthless vigilante by night.  Born “Jessica Blute,” she took her mother's first name, Jennifer, and created the alter ego, “Jennifer Blood, and sought revenge against her father's family for the death of her parents.  The first Jennifer Blood comic book series ran for 36 issues from 2011 to 2014.

Jennifer Blood returns from the dead in a new comic book series, Jennifer Blood Volume 2.  It is written by Fred Van Lente; drawn by Vincenzo Federici; colored by Dearbhla Kelly and lettered by Simon Bowland.  In the new series, someone is acting like Jennifer Blood, who is supposedly dead.  And this “copycat” loves to kill criminals just like the original did.

Jennifer Blood Volume 2 #3 (“Play Date”) opens outside of Bountiful, Utah, population 4302 – a town run by and for criminals.  Bountiful is where the U.S. Department of Justice sends the most infamous East Coast mobsters into the federal “Witness Protection Program” (WPP).  One of the criminals enjoying life in Bountiful is former drug trafficker and Border Patrol agent turned heroin smugger, Marco Martinez.  Today, he has delivered a U-Haul truckload of Spanish-speaking migrants to an abandoned army base located outside Bountiful.

These migrants believe that they are beginning a new life, but they're actually here to be targets.  The Mafia dons of the criminal-run town of Bountiful have gathered together for “the Hunt,” the annual event that pits the East Coast mob against the West Coast mob to see who can track down, kill, and tag these innocent, unknowing human.

In this most dangerous game, however, a third player has entered this year's competition: Jennifer Blood!  Her targets are the mobsters and she plays for keeps.  Now, mob assassin, Giulietta Romeo, will at last come face to face with her elusive prey.

THE LOWDOWN:  Dynamite Entertainment's marketing department recently began providing me with PDF review copies of some of their titles.  One of them is Jennifer Blood Volume 2 #3.  This is the third Jennifer Blood comic book I have read, although I had previously heard of the series.

I'll say the same thing about Jennifer Blood Volume 2 #3 that I said about the first two issues.  It's a fun read and a funny read.  Writer Fred Van Lente offers his best issue yet.  In fact, I could read a miniseries worth of this issue, and I enjoyed the confrontation between Blood and Romeo.

The art and storytelling by Vincenzo Federici perfectly fits this stories emphasis on cruelty and bigotry, and the colors by Dearbhla Kelly splash tag-colors and gore all over the pages.  Simon Bowland's lettering continues to be the soundtrack of sacrifice to mob violence and bloody revenge.  So let's keep going, dear readers.  Jennifer Blood is turning out to be quite good.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of Jennifer Blood will want to read Jennifer Blood Volume 2.

A-

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"


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https://www.linkedin.com/company/dynamite-entertainment


The text is copyright © 2021 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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Monday, May 22, 2023

BOOM! Studios from Diamond Distributors for May 24, 2023

BOOM! STUDIOS

JAN230338 BRIAR TP VOL 01 $14.99
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MAR230250 NEIGHBORS #3 (OF 5) CVR A MERCADO (MR) $4.99
MAR230251 NEIGHBORS #3 (OF 5) CVR B LEE (MR) $4.99

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Dark Horse Comics from Diamond Distributors for May 24, 2023

DARK HORSE COMICS

MAR230320 ALL EIGHT EYES #2 (OF 4) CVR A KOWALSKI $3.99
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Dynamite Entertainment from Diamond Distributors for May 24, 2023

DYNAMITE

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Image Comics from Diamond Distributors for May 24, 2023

IMAGE COMICS

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Marvel Comics from Diamond Distributors for May 24, 2023

MARVEL COMICS

FEB230946 AMAZING SPIDER-MAN EPIC COLLECTION TP MAXIMUM CARNAGE $39.99
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